Texans buying into Phillips' defensive scheme

Updated 12:27 am, Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the Texans are ranked No. 1 in total defense thus far in the preseason.

Under defensive coordinator Wade Phillips, the Texans are ranked No. 1 in total defense thus far in the preseason.

Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press

Texans buying into Phillips' defensive scheme

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Shaun Cody deflected a pass and ran off the field, arms stretched toward the sky. His fellow defensive linemen met him on the Texans sideline, where a mini-celebration ensued.

On another play, Connor Barwin, using a technique hammered home during training camp, embarrassed San Francisco left tackle Joe Staley and drove quarterback Alex Smith into the Candlestick Park grass.

It's still the preseason, but it's already clear the Texans' defense is different. Need proof? The Texans are ranked No. 1 in total defense this preseason, which is particularly impressive considering coordinator Wade Phillips hasn't utilized the complete playbook just yet.

The scheme - a 3-4 alignment that has been an adjustment for former defensive ends Mario Williams and Barwin, who are now linebackers - has gotten most of the attention, but according to Phillips, that's not the reason (thus far) for the success.

Instead, it's how eager and receptive to instruction the Texans have been, especially with a shrunken window because of the lockout. Their defenders want to be coached because, well, anything is better than what was happening before.

"Sometimes somebody coming new, that helps," Phillips said. "Last year, they didn't have a great year, so I think they're looking for something that can help them."

Playing to strengths

Once everyone was finally on the field together, it was a matter of assessing strengths and weaknesses.

"Everybody has a coverage, everybody has a pass rush, and a lot of them are similar," Phillips said. "But it's how you do those things and how you take the individual into consideration. If a guy is good at bump-and-run in man-to-man, we'll do a lot of bump-and-run.

"Any time you're utilizing the best of a guy's ability, then he has the chance to make more plays. That's what you're looking for."

Which is why reserve safety Troy Nolan, who always seems to be around the ball anyway, produced a couple of interceptions Saturday against the 49ers, including one returned for a 73-yard touchdown.

And why Barwin, after some consistent prodding, produced his first sack of the preseason.

"Reggie (Herring, new linebackers coach) and Wade have been harping on us to just use that stab, and I stabbed Joe Staley," Barwin said. "He just kind of slipped back, (and) I came underneath and got the sack."

Coaches have always preached the importance of sticking arms and hands into passing lanes, but the message failed to stick. With these Texans, as Cody can attest, it's relished.

"I think they've all bought into what we're doing, and they've all worked extremely hard," head coach Gary Kubiak said. "I think Wade and his staff's done a good job of not giving them too much, saying, 'Let's get good at this and get good at some things before we move on.' "

Team mentality

The full installment is now beginning. The "ones" have started preparing for the opener against Indianapolis because they won't see action Thursday at Minnesota. Phillips said the Texans are playing hard, but there's another level he'd like to see them reach.

"I start with a premise that there's assignment and there's responsibility," Phillips said. "You may have an assignment to be in a gap, or you may have an assignment to cover a guy, but your responsibility is get that football. Because guys say, 'Hey, I did my assignment. I got my gap.' You've heard that all the time: 'I got my gap,' and a guy runs for a touchdown. Well, your responsibility is still get to the football, so that's our motto."

Such talk thrills defensive end Antonio Smith, who also registered a sack against the 49ers.

"The thing we have to establish now is to get the defense down," Smith said. "Get the defense down, start running it the way it's supposed to be run."